“Not quite. Pull the elbow back high, higher than the line of the arrow. Do you understand?”
She nodded, tried again.
“Better.” There was something light in his voice that made her look at him.
He was grinning, and her heart gave up on its regular rhythm.
“Better,” Miss Angleton called out, “but not perfect. She’s using her arms too much. It’s better to use the back.” She marched toward them and pushed her way between Amelia and Drew.
Amelia bulged her eyes wide at the other woman, not needing words to show her disapproval.
Miss Angleton winked. “I do apologize, but form before flirtation, Mrs. Dart.Always.” She poked Amelia’s back between her shoulders. “There. Pull from there. Elbow high, as Lord Andrew said, then anchor your hand right here at your cheek.”
Amelia did as she’d been instructed, and Miss Angleton clapped. “Superb. Now you may have the arrow and your Lord Andrew back.” She glanced at Drew over her shoulder as she ambled away. “Don’t look at me like that, my lord. I would not have had to intervene if you understood archery better.” Another wink.
“We can’t hire her out,” Drew and Amelia said together.
They shared a look, and there was nothing professional or cool about it. His smile was too wide, and hers felt too shy. His eyes lacked their usual icy hue, and a laugh danced on her tongue. She dared not look away, break the hold they had on one another even though they touched not at all. A pity. And yet his gaze felt like a touch, a caress, a promise he didn’t know he was making. Her gaze dropped to his lips, remembering the feel of them against her own. Did he remember as she did? Did he yearn as she did? She lifted her gaze.
And he was gone, an ice wall over his eyes once more. “Perpendicular to the target, Mrs. Dart.”
She placed her body as instructed but with a sense of loss that overwhelmed the excitement of trying something new.
He held out the arrow, and she took it.
“With your back,” Miss Angleton called out.
Amelia notched the arrow, pulled the string back, keeping her elbow high, and anchored the arrow at her cheek. She inhaled and let the arrow fly loose.
And absolutely missed every target on the table fifty paces away.
“Huzzah!” Miss. Angleton jumped, punching her fist in the air.
Inexplicable pride rose in Amelia. She’d missed, but Miss Angleton’s enthusiasm was catching. She turned to see Drew’s reaction, and her heart sank to her feet. He was already near the front of the house, leaving her.
“Lord Andrew?” she called.
He lifted a hand and continued walking. “I trust you’re in safe hands, Mrs. Dart.” And then he disappeared.
“What a bounder!” Miss Angleton reached down, pulled her boot off her foot, and threw it at him.
“He’s gone, Miss Angleton.”
“But it felt good to throw it nonetheless. Would you like to?” She took off her other shoe and handed it to Amelia.
Why not. Amelia threw it, and it dropped into the earth a few inches farther than Miss Angleton’s. That did feel a bit better.
Miss Angleton wrapped an arm around Amelia’s waist and led her toward the thrown boots. “You adore him.” Amelia snorted. “No use denying it, Mrs. Dart. Does he know?” Miss Angleton dropped right to the grass and pulled her boots back on.
“I’m not sure he would know even if I told him in plain words.”
“That thick, is he?” Miss Angleton sighed, standing, dusting the dirt from her behind. “Come let us shoot it out.”
Together, they gathered the unused arrows and out of ten shots, Amelia hit one. The urn no one liked to dust. The biggesttarget. And it toppled and fell to the earth with only a muffled thud. “Should feel more satisfying,” she said.
“The grass ruins everything. Too soft for a good smash. Let us retrieve the arrows.”
They marched across the field to gather their ammunition, and while they were kneeling near the earth, Miss Angleton reached for Amelia’s hand.
